These days, many passers-by always spot a beggar on the Jiaochangkou Street in Yuzhong District of Chongqing in southwest China.
The beggar’s name is Xia Haibo, and he was born in Meihe Village, Tianmen City of Hubei Province. Being 25 years old, he is quite a special beggar in some ways — he doesn’t beg on his knees, as other beggars do when begging. Rather, he often stands in the crowded street, either reading a book or thinking about something carefully. He also started a blog on the Internet which has been clicked more than 500,000 times. He likes reading — he has read many classical Chinese poems. He has kept writing and recently, he has planned to publish his writings.
In 1998, Xia entered Tianmen Middle School as the best student in his town. However, a year before he took the college entrance examination, he came down with a high fever and was later diagnosed (诊断) as having rheumatoid arthritis (类风湿性关节炎). In order to treat his disease, his father borrowed 60,000 yuan from relatives and friends. However, with this money, he didn’t recover from the disease. He did not want to become a burden (负担) to his family any more. So in July, 2006, he left his hometown and went to Wuhan to make a living by begging.
Begging has become a job to Xia now. However, he doesn’t plan to go on living like this. “By July 24, 2008, when I have been begging for two years, I will stop my begging life. I promise,” he said.
It is his plan that by using the money he “earns”, he will rent a small shop in his hometown and keep on writing in his spare time.
Right now, he is trying to finish a book of his own. The book, called Love Is With Me, tells about the people who helped him during his begging life. The underlined word “spot” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to “______”.
A.forgive | B.record | C.beat | D.notice |
When did Xia Haibo get the serious illness?
A.In 1998. | B.In 2001. | C.In 2000. | D.In 2006. |
How does Xia beg in the street?
A.He begs on his knees in the street. |
B.He writes Chinese poems for those who like poems. |
C.He reads or thinks while standing in the street. |
D.He teaches people how to surf the Internet. |
Which of the following is NOT true about Xia Haibo?
A.His dream is to have his book published. |
B.He will not stop begging until he earns enough money for his future life. |
C.He is writing a book to express his thanks to those who helped him. |
D.He will keep writing while running a small business. |
Joseph Goldberger was a doctor for the Unite States Public Health Service. In 1912, he began to study a disease that was killing thousands of people in the South. The disease was pellagra(烟酸缺乏病).
Doctor Goldberger traveled to the state of Mississippi where many people had pellagra. He studied the patients and their families. Most of the people were poor. The doctor came to believe that the disease was not passed from one person to another, but instead had something to do with food.
He received agreement from state officials to test this idea at a prison(监狱). Prisoners were offered pardons if they took part. One group of prisoners received their usual food, mostly corn. A second group ate meat, fresh vegetables and milk. Members of the first group developed pellagra. The second group did not.
But some experts refused to accept that poor food caused pellagra. They thought there were other causes.
So Doctor Goldberger put blood(血液) from a person with pellagra into his own body. He even took pills that had blood from pellagra patients. An assistant also took part in the experiments. So did Doctor Goldberger’s wife. None of them got sick. Later, the doctor discovered that a bit of dried brewer’s yeast(酿酒的酵母) each day could prevent pellagra.
Joseph Goldberger died of cancer in 1929. He was 55 years old. Several years later, researchers discovered the true cause of pellagra: having little of the vitamin B. How old was Doctor Goldberger when he began to study pellagra?
A.22. | B.30. | C.38. | D.55. |
The underlined part “this idea” (in Paragraph 3) refers to .
A.the guessing that pellagra had something to do with food |
B.a kind of yeast that prevented pellagra |
C.pellagra that was easily pas![]() |
D.a poor food that caused pellagra |
Which is the right order about what Doctor Goldberger did?
a. He did a test on prisoners at a prison.
b. He did the experiments on himself.
c. He came to Mississippi to study the patients and their families.
d. He found poor food was easy to cause pellagra.
e. He discovered a little dried brewer’s yeast every day could prevent pellagra.
A.a, d, c, e, b | B.c, a, d, b, e | C.b, e, c, a, d | D.c, b, e, a, d |
This passage mainly tells us .
A.Doctor Goldberger’s lif![]() |
B.something about pellagra |
C.Doctor Goldberger’s work experience |
D.Doctor Goldberger’s study on pellagra |
Copywriting is the art of sending a message in writing, especially in advertisements, for the purpose(目的) of persuading someone to do something. This is especially true when writing descriptive(描述性的) copy. Why? Because customers’(顾客) senses don’t work on paper. They only work in person. That’s why copywriters have to create a sensory experience for their customers through their words.
When copywriters create descriptions, they often leave a lot to be desired. There is no interaction(互动) or experience. Descriptions should be descriptive. Successful descriptions should fill the gap of what customers would see, hear, smell, taste or feel as if they were standing before the product. Successful descriptions should also draw customers’ attention and create an actual event as if they could be right there.
Do you make cinnamon rolls(肉桂卷)?You wouldn’t want to describe them simply as “delicious” or “smell great”. Instead, you’d want to bring your customers to the experience of enjoying them. Something like this will work better: Completely NOT your grandma’s cinnamon rolls! Freshly bake them right in your own oven. As the strong pleasant smell of these excellent rolls begins to float in the air, your nose will start to feel excited and you’ll immediately know they are worth the wait.
When writing descriptive copy, choose the senses that are most proper and focus on them. If describing food, certainly you’ll think about not only what you’re tasting, but also what you smell and see. If you’re writing travel copy, you’ll focus on sights, sounds as well as feelings. Your goal i
s to have your readers close their eyes and imagine they are in the same experience as you are.
The purpose of copywriting is to .
A.create a pleasant experience |
B.develop customers’ five senses |
C.persuade people to do things |
D.give people rich imagination |
The writer develops the third paragraph mainly .
A.by cause and effect(因果) | B.by order in space |
C.by order in time | D.by examples |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.People’s five senses |
B.Copywriting and advertisements |
C.Descriptive copywriting |
D.Copywriting and the five senses |
I had been rather proud of myself when my friends and family got the ticket, whether it was for speeding, parking or stop sign violations(违反). It was something that happened to others. But last Friday I joined the club.
I was asked to do a new project last week. On Friday morning on my way to work, I suddenly remembered that I had spent the past six weeks without considering that I had a week’s vacation planned during that time. I was very disappointed with myself for not remembering it.
The truth is that I was not paying enough attention to my driving and I did not come to a complete stop at the stop sign in front of a school. I was so distracted(思想不集中的) that I didn’t even notice I had a policeman on my tail with his lights flashing. Finally I looked in my mirror and caught on.
The policeman was rude and took my papers. Luckily, I had everything up to date and since I had never had a ticket before, there was nothing for him to do but write me a ticket. While I was sitting there in the seat of “shame”, I felt bad. If I had been that distracted and a child had run onto the road, perhaps I would have not reacted as well as I could have. It was a wake-up call.
People at work asked me if I tried to talk my way out of it. Frankly, it never occurred to me. I felt guilty(有罪的). Now I no longer have a clean driving record. Please be careful out there, as a moment’s distraction can lead to tragedy(悲剧).What is this passage mainly about?
A.The writer’s most unforgettable experience. |
B.How the writer got her first ticket. |
C.An accident caused by the writer. |
D.Why the writer is always so careful. |
We can infer that the underlined part “the club” in Paragraph 1 here refers to .
A.people who are crazy about driving cars |
B.a club for drivers without much experience |
C.people who get tickets for breaking traffic rules |
D.a club for people to talk about their driving stories |
What made the writer unable to focus on(集中思想) her driving?
A.Planning how to spend the vacation. |
B.Thinking of the forgotten vacation. |
C.Thinking about her work. |
D.Missing her children. |
When the writer received the ticket, she .
A.felt lucky that she was an experienced driver |
B.was so nervous that she shook all over |
C.was ashamed of herself for being distracted |
D.was worried about being laughed at |
Sophia Richardson: Both my parents are really important to me. My parents are really more than friends. They’re the people I can open up and talk to. Talking to them is like talking to one of my friends. They’ve been there for me and given me good advice on a lot
of my problems.
Stacey Avnes: My Jewish big sister is important to me. Her name is Lauren. We’ve been together for two years. My mom is a single mom and she is very busy. Lauren is someone who helps me deal with all this stuff because she’s someone I can talk to. She’s like a second mom to me and also a best friend. If I have any problem, I can call her and she’ll come and pick me up a
nd we’ll go to a park and talk.
Jean Park: It’s my uncle who is important to me. When I’m with him, I’m grateful(感激的) for the small things—being alive and healthy; having a good family and friends. He’s also very grateful for the small things and gives back to his community(社区).
Melaku Shierfaw: My father is important to me. He came here from a rich family in Africa. But when he came, he didn’t t
ake any money and started fresh. He showed that he could do everything by himself without the help of others and he’s successful. It shows me that I can do anything as long as I try.
Kalin Scott-Wright: My great grandmother is in charge of our whole family. She was born in 1920. I know she went through a lot in her life. She was a very strong woman and she raised my mom and took her in. She had a kind spirit and loved me and my brother. She’ll always be there for me although she’s not alive any longer.We can infer that Sophia .
A.is always in trouble |
B.has few friends |
C.gets along well with her parents |
D.depends too much on her parents |
What do we know about Stacey’s big sister?
A.She is very lonely. |
B.She is a single mother. |
C.She is Stacey’s only friend. |
D.She often helps Stacey. |
What does Jean’s uncle teach her?
A.To be grateful for the small things in life. |
B.To be ready to help her community. |
C.To treat others like friends. |
D.To have a good family. |
From his father, Melaku has learnt that .
A.not everyone can be successful |
B.money is not important in one’s life |
C.one should never ask others for help |
D.he can do anything as long as he tries |
OLYMPIA, March 24—Luo Xuejuan, a swimming gold medalist at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, became the first Chinese person to relay the Olympic Flame in Greece on Monday, receiving the flame from the first Olympic torchbearer(火炬手), Greek Alexandros Nikolaidis.
Despite her previous experience as a torchbearer in the Beijing leg of the Athens 2004 torch relay, Luo felt honored and proud of being chosen as the first Chinese torchbearer, the Xihua News Agency reported Luo as saying in an interview.
She talked about the great responsibility that she felt, as she believed she was representing every Chinese athlete and even Chinese person by running her leg of the relay.
Regarding missing the torch lighting ceremony because she had to be in an assigned location to wait for the flame, Luo felt no regret. “Even though I couldn’t see it, I was able to feel the flame light and knew that it was happening at a place nearby,” she said.
Luo expressed her belief that even if people couldn’t communicate with words, the Olympic Flame enables the transmission of the Olympic spirit and brings smiles wherever it might go. In Luo’s mind, the Olympic spirit represents purity, competition, friendship, enthusiasm, peace and harmony.Why didn’t Luo see the torch lighting ceremony?
A. She was late for the ceremony. |
B. She was not allowed to go there. |
C. She waited for the flame as the next torchbearer. |
D. The ceremony took place at a place far away. |
Choose the best explanation for the underlined word “leg” in Paragraph Three.
A. One of the long parts that connect the feet to the rest of the body. |
B. The part of a pair of trousers. |
C. One of the long thin parts on the bottom of a table. |
D. One part of a journey or race. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Luo Xuejuan was the first Olympic torchbearer in Greece. |
B. Luo had never been selected as a torchbearer before. |
C. Luo believed that the Olympic flame helped communication among people. |
D. Luo felt regretful because she missed the torch lighting ceremony. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A. Luo Xuejuan: A Swimming Gold Medalist. |
B. The Torch Lighting Ceremony |
C. The Torch Relay Had Begun |
D. Luo Xuejuan: the First Chinese Torchbearer of Athens Torch Relay |
This passage is most likely to be seen in a .
A. novel |
B. newspaper |
C. magazine |
D. textbook |